Cold Hugs
by NonsensicalCheshire
Summary: It was a moment he didn't want to remember... / Future Lucy's timeline (AU?) oneshot
1. Chapter 1

A/N: With all those theories about Juvia dying, I just had to do something while it was going on. I'm so sorry. So, this was written before the dragons attacked and all the theories were flying around. But this story is based very heavily on this wonderful short comic that I adore, and it had, like, Gray holding Juvia while she was dying. Prepare for angst and stuff.

"Oh no. No no no no…" Gray keeps on muttering to himself, frenzied and panicked as he stares at the lovely, bloody blue hair fanned out and the ripped up body.

There are more following him, Cana, Evergreen, and the two remaining Take-Over Siblings, calling out his name, telling him to stay back, there might still be dragons near by. Their calls fade as they also take in the sight of the broken body of Juvia Lockser. Lisanna, or at least he thinks it's Lisanna, he doesn't really care who it is right now, shrieks and backs up into the arms of her brother. Elfman puts his hands on her shoulders and turns her away, not wanting her to see the bloodied and broken body of her dear friend.

Gray finally reaches the body and drops to his knees by it. Her foot is torn off, leaving her lower leg bloody. There's a ragged gap in her stomach where blood is flowing from and sticking her dress to her body. There aren't any dragons in sight- whatever had done this to her must've decided she wasn't worth eating or that she was already dead. Was she? No, she wasn't. Her chest rose and fell just barely, the movement quick and shallow.

"Juvia!" He picks her up and holds her, supporting her on his legs. Her navy eyes flicker open. Gray flinches. They're foggy and distant, much too distant. In a jerky fashion, her head tilts towards him and she squints. Blood coats her chin.

"Gray…sama?" she croaks. Her chest begins moving slower. He takes a hand away from her head and puts it over the gap, then realizes that's futile because he can't stop a wound so big, a chunk of flesh missing, with just a hand.

"Yeah, yeah, it's me." Gray smiles at her, trying to hide his panic. Where's that Chelia girl or Porlyusica when they're needed? If they can't get her to them soon…

He doesn't want to think about it.

"Juvia… I'm sorry…. I was careless." She coughs up a mouthful of blood onto his chest. He flinches at the sticky warmth, then tries to shush her, but she goes on. "I thought… my water body- that it could protect me from them." Her bloody lips twist into a sad smile. "It didn't work on the dragons… as you… can see."

"It's okay, it's fine," Gray lies to her- and himself. "We'll get you to a medic, then you'll be fine."

The four following him have stopped behind the two and stand there. He turns to them, frantic. "Well, go on! Go find someone!" He shouts this harsher than necessary, and stops when he sees Lisanna weeping, Elfman holding her and stroking her hair, Cana covering her face, and Evergreen giving him the saddest look he thinks he's ever seen anyone wear. The brunette shakes her head. "Gray…"

"Don't say it!" he shouts back at the Raijinshuu member. She takes a step back and throws up her hands in surrender, submission. Elfman looks up from his youngest sibling and shakes his head slowly, clearly meaning something like, "Evergreen was just trying to say the truth." Gray turns back to the broken form of Juvia in his arms.

She looks at him again, her eyes getting foggier with each breath. Her breathing is becoming even more shallow. "Gray…" He looks back at her, his eyes filling with… were those tears? Juvia's lips turn up into a bright but sad smile as she puts a hand on his Fairy Tail mark. "I-I-I-" Her voice leaves her, so she simply mouths. "I'm so sorry."

"Juvia…" Her chest rose. "Hey." It fell. "Juvia?" It didn't rise again. "Juvia!"

Evergreen lets out a soft sound and hugs herself. Lisanna cries harder into Elfman's chest, who is clearly trying to keep it together. Gray begins to weep himself, holding her body closer, burying a hand in her pale blue hair. He hugs her dead body. Why hasn't he ever hugged her before? All the chances, just like only three days ago during their victory. And he'd only chosen to hold her now? When she couldn't hold him back?

"Gray…" It's Cana, taking a step forward and reaching out a hand, hoping to comfort him.

"Just stay back, stay away!" he screams violently. Cana stops, looking very hesitant, then tries to take another step forward, but is stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Evergreen is standing behind the darker brunette, holding back tears and shaking her head at her. Cana stiffens and begins to cry and throws herself on Evergreen, who, bewildered, puts her arms around the other.

Gray buries his face in Juvia's hair. Her body is getting colder, colder, colder than it should be. She'd always been the right temperature, faintly chilly just like he liked, but this was much too freezing. Still sobbing, he puts his lips on her forehead, not caring about the blood on his pants and chest or the people grieving behind him. All there is is Juvia's dead, frigid body.

_ I'm sorry. I didn't make my feelings clear in time._


	2. Q and A

A/N: I got some questions about the oneshot, so I'll answer them for you here, as you please.

**#1: Why did I wait so long to put this up?**: I actually have a tumblr for my writing. I only recently got a fanfic account, so I put up this story months ago on tumblr, right before the dragons came through the gate.

**#2: Will I make an aftermath sequel?: **That sounds like a fun idea! Maybe something like Gray dying and meeting Juvia again in heaven. It's angsty, but it's happy. I like.

**#3: What's this comic you're talking about?: ** art/Fairy-Tail-322-mini-comic-358441004 is the URL to the DeviantArt page of the nice (Satan) person who made this.

And thank you so much for your input and reviews! As a writer, it means so much to me!


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